The TransformaTresses association
TransformaTresses is a non-profit association working to improve access to quality hair care adapted to curly, coily and kinky hair, to improve the conditions in which professionals provide this care, and to support the institutional recognition of the profession of hair braider.
Our mission
- fight precariousness and promote the integration and emancipation of hair braiders and professionals providing care adapted to curly, coily and kinky hair
- improve access to quality care for people of African descent and mixed-race people
- promote painless and respectful braiding practices
- promote African culture and beauty, including natural “nappy” hairstyles
- encourage reflection on more natural and ecological products and on the issue of the toxicity of certain cosmetics
- promote female entrepreneurship, particularly among African immigrant women and women of African descent
- value all hair textures and promote their full acceptance in society
- support the institutional recognition of the profession of hair braider in Belgium
How we take action
- create and organise training programmes in hair care and body care adapted to the specific needs of curly, coily and kinky hair, and of Black, brown and mixed-race skin
- contribute to the creation of a school or dedicated curricula for curly, coily and kinky hair within existing schools
- organise meetings and exchanges between hair braiders to bring the sector together
- engage in dialogue with public authorities, professional organisations and trade unions for the recognition of the profession
- support awareness-raising and research initiatives on the social conditions of hair braiders, the toxicity of cosmetics adapted to the specific needs of curly, coily and kinky hair and of Black, brown and mixed-race skin, the legal framework of hair braiding work, and the history and culture of Black, brown and mixed-race beauty
Why recognised training is essential
Many women work as hairdressers or African hair braiders, sometimes from home in the informal economy, or sometimes in precarious working conditions, with little prospect of social advancement.
They have skills that are difficult to develop and value because there are no recognised training programmes adapted to the specific needs of curly, coily and kinky hair, which are still insufficiently present in existing pathways that often remain cosmetology-centred and focused on “European” hair.
We want to help bring about training that is:
- specialised in curly, coily and kinky hair, with adapted content
- certifying and recognised, giving access to the profession and to entrepreneurship
- compatible with the reality of the practices, including braiding, weaving and locks, which do not necessarily require cutting or chemical products
What we propose to institutional actors
To schools and training centres: co-create a credible curriculum focused on skills for curly, coily and kinky hair, including braiding, with assessment, reference frameworks and pathways.
To professional federations and trade unions: open a working process on “profession and working conditions”: recognition, access to status, working conditions, safety and quality.
To public authorities: analyse the obstacles and consider the necessary adaptations, regarding training, access to the profession and recognition of the specific features of the profession.
Let’s take action together
Are you a hair braider, a hairdresser, a person of African descent, a parent, a professional, a representative of a school or institution, or an ally?
Write to us to join the initiative, propose a partnership, share the surveys or support the creation of a pathway for curly, coily and kinky hair.
